Apparatus for supplying gas



Oct. 22, 194).

R. w. SPARLING vAPPARATUS FOR sUlPllzYlN'G GAS Filed Aug. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 om mo A@ o@ new: J

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A.; ArroRNEY INVENTOR w. J

@CL 22, 1940. R. w. SPARLING 2,218,773

I APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING GAS Filed Aug. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HEI ' INVENTOR 14,; ATTORNEY Patented `Oct. 22, 1940 A UNITED sTATEs 2,218,773 APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING GAS Raymond W. Sparling, South Pasadena, Calif., as-

signor to Wallace & Tiernan Company, Inc., Belleville, N. J., a corporationvof New York Application August 20, 1936, Serial No. 96,982

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for supplying gas at a controlled rate. More particularly,

the invention relates to a feeding and metering apparatus including means by which measured volumes of gas are delivered periodically; and the invention aims generally to provide an improved apparatus of this kind which will supply gas at accurately controlled rates and, for a given size apparatus, over a Wide range of flow, and which i is capable of supplying gas at relatively low rates of flow without loss of accuracy of control, and which is comparatively simple in construction', reliable in operation, and not-likely to get out of order.

.To these ends, an apparatus according to the invention comprises a measuring chamber to which gas at a constant predetermined pressure is admitted under control of a valve which is operated to admit the gas to the chamber periodically to flllthe chamber to said predetermined pressure. After each filling of the chamber, gas is withdrawn therefrom through an outlet passage leading to a chamber or space from which the gas is withdrawn, the outlet passage being controlled by a valve which is operated to open the passage periodically after eachiilling of the measuring chamber. In a preferred embodimentl of the invention, the valves controlling the admission of gas to the measuring chamber and the discharge of gas therefrom are electrically operated by electromagnetic means connected in circuits which include circuit controlling means cam-operated from a shaft the speed of rotation of which determines the periodicity of the lling and discharging of the measuring chamber, and, therefore, of the rate of supply of the gas; and the valve-controlled outlet passage discharges into a receiving chamber from which the'gas is drawn by a constantly acting suction device 40 which for the purposefor which the invention Y has been especially made is a water aspirator. The invention includes also an electrically operated pressure reducing and regulating valve for reducing the pressure of gas supplied from a 45 pressure source and supplying it tothe measuring chamber at the desired constant pressure, and which is adjustable for varying such constant pressure.

The circuit-controlling camshaft may be driv- 50 en at a constant speed which may be adjustable for varying the rate of supply of the gas. The invention has been made with the idea of providing apparatus for feeding chlorine gas and for dissolving the gas in a minor stream of water 55 which is then discharged into the water or otherv (C'l. 21o-28) liquid to be treated. When the chlorine solution thus produced is used for treating flowing water, it is desirable that the rate of supply of the chlorine be varied proportionately to variation in the amount of water flowing. The present apparatus is particularly well adapted for giving such a proportionately varied supply of the chlorine, or, as it might be, of any other gas, since this may be accomplished simply by driving the circuit-controlling cam shaft at a speed which varies proportionately to the rate of ow of the water being treated.

As a further means for varying the rate of supply-of the gas, the measuring chamber is made adjustable in volumetric capacity, and this adjustment of the capacity of the measuring chamber serves as a means for varying the dosage when the shaft which determines the periodicity of lling and discharging the measuring chamber v is driven at a speed varying with variations in rate of flow of the treated liquid. The rate atv which gas is supplied by the apparatus of the invention may also be varied in a third way, that is, by varying the difference between the pressure at which the measuring chamber is charged and the pressure to which it is exhausted.

A full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of apparatus embodying the various features of the invention in the form now considered best, and such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating such apparatus, and in which:

Fig. 1 is asomewhat diagrammatic sectional view of an approved apparatus according to the invention intended'especially for supplying chiorine gas; and

Fig. 2 is a view showing the apparatus in elevation and showing means for driving the circuitcontrolling cam shaft at a rate which varies pro- 40 portionately to variations in the rate of flow of water being treated.

Referring to the drawings, in the apparatus shown the chlorine gas is supplied at a constant pressure to a measuring chamber Il) through a tube I I from a constant pressure chamber I2 and is discharged from the measuring chamber through a tube I3 to a receiving chamber I4 from which gas is Withdrawn through tube I5 by a water aspirator IB.

Any suitable means may ,be provided for supplying the gas at a constant pressure tothe measuring chamber. Most desirably, howeven the electrically operated pressure reducing and regulating device which forms a feature of the 55 invention and an 'approved form of which is shown in Fig. 1 is used. As shown, chlorine gas from a suitable source of supply under pressure, such as a tank of compressed liqueed chlorine, flows through a tube 20 to a space or chamber 2I from which, when permitted by a valve 22, gas ows through a port 23 to the chamber I2. The chamber I2 is formed by a short length of tubing 24 having a headpiece 25 which is screwed into the upper end of the tube and is iianged at its upper end to receive a solenoid casing 26. The space between the bottom of the solenoid casing and the top of the headpiece 25 forms the chamber 2l, and the headpiece is bored to form the port 23- and to provide a connection from the gas supply tube 20 to the chamber 2l and an outlet port leading to the supply tube II.

The valve 22 seats at the upper end of the port 23 and is operated by means of a core, or armature, 30 mounted within a solenoid coil 3l. In order to provide for lost motion between the valve and the core and the resulting hammer action of the core on the valve, the core is mounted to move freely within a casing 32 which is closed at its upper end and carries the valve 22 at its lower end and is 'of inside length slightly greater than the length of the core. The casing 32 is mounted to move freely within a tube 33 within the coil 3l, the tube 33 and the casing 32 being of non-magnetic material. The casing or shell 26 is of magnetic. material and encloses the coil 3l in the usual manner. Pressure gages 34 and 35 are desirably provided for showing, respectively, the pressure in the chamber 2l and in the chamber I2.

The bottom of the chamber I2 is formed by a metal diaphragm 40. A spring 4I acting through a disc 42 and pin 43 tends to move the diaphragm upward against the gas pressure within the chamber I2. The spring is mounted within a tubular housing 44 which is secured to the iianged'lower end of the tube 24 by a union nut 45 by which the diaphragm is clamped between the flanged end of the tube 24 and a member of insulating material 46. The lower end of spring 4I rests on a disc 41 supported and adjustably positioned by means of a thumb screw 48. By turning the screw the upward force exerted by the spring against the diaphragm 40 may be increased or decreased as desired. A metal disc 49 is carried by the push pin 43 in position to engage two contact terminals 50 and 5I when the push pin moves the diaphragm 40 upward, these contact terminals being carried by the insulating member 46.

The solenoid 3| and the contact terminals 50 and 5I are connected in series across supply conductors 55 and 56 extending from any suitable source of electric current, the connecting circuit including conductors 51, 58 and 59. The operation of this pressure reducing andregulating device is as follows: When the gas pressure in the chamber I2 is less than that for which the spring 4I is adjusted, the diaphragm 40 is raised by the pressure of the spring and the solenoid is energized by the closing of the circuit by the disc 49, and the valve 22 is raised and held in open position, permitting gas to enter the chamber I2 until the pressure in the chamber is suiicient to depress the diaphragm 40 against the force of below the predetermined pressure, and the supply of gas is cut off whenever the pressure rises above the predetermined pressure, constant pressure thus being maintained in the chamber the value of which is determined by the setting of the thumb screw 48.

The measuring chamber I0 in the apparatus shown is formed like the constant pressure chamber I 2 of a short length of tubing 6U having a headpiece 6I similar to the headpiece 25 and ln formed to provide a space or chamber 62 into which gas ows from the chamber I2 through connecting tube II and from which, when permitted by a valve 63, gas iiows through a port 64 into the chamber I0. The valve 63 is anv electrically operated valve similar to the valve 22, being normally seated at the upper end of the. port 64 -ancl operated by an armature 65 within a solenoid coil 66 cased within a shell 61 mounted on the headpiece 6I, these parts being as more 2u particularly described in connection with the valve 22. 'I'he solenoid 66 is supplied with current from the supply conductors 55 and 56 through conductors 68 and 69, the supply being controlled to energize the solenoid periodically 2.3 by a circuit-controlling device 10. When the solenoid 66 is energized, the valve is raised to permit gas from the constant pressureV chamber I2 to flow into the chamber I0, and when the solenoid is de-energized, the valve falls to its closed position, preventing iniiow of gas to chamber I0.

The receiving chamber I4 is also shown as of cylindrical form and having a headpiece 15 similar to the headpieces 25 and 6I providing a space 16 into which gas flows from the chamber I0 through connecting tube I3 and from which gas ows through port 18 into the chamber I4 when permitted by a valve 11. VThe valve 11 is an electrically operated valve similar to the valves 22 and 63, being operated by armature 19 within a solenoid coil cased within a shell 8l mounted on the headpiece 15, the construction being as more particularly described in connection with valve 22. 'I'he solenoid 80 is supplied with current from the supply conductors 55 and 56 through vconductors 82 and 83, and the solenoid circuit is controlled by the circuit controlling delvice 10 to energize the solenoid periodically and in alternation with the energizing of the solenoid 66. When the valve 11 is raised, gas is permitted to iiow from the measuring chamber I0 into the chamber I4, and when the solenoid is deenerglzed the valve falls to its closed position and outow., of gas from the measuring chamber is prevented.

The circuit controlling device 10 as shown comprises a cam 85 on a shaft 86 and two contact pairs 81 and 88 positioned to be operated alter-I nately by the cam to close circuit. The contact pair 81 is connected in series in the circuit to the solenoid 66 across the conductors 55 and 56, and the contact pair 88 is connected in series in a similar circuit to the solenoid 80. 'Ihe shaft 86 may be driven -by any suitable means and its speed of rotation varied manually or automatically, one means for driving the shaft and varying its speed automatically being shown in Fig. 2.

'I'he water aspirator I6 may be of any suitable construction to serve as a suction device for drawing gas from the receiving chamber I4 through connecting pipe I5. -It is operated by Water supplied through pipe 90 under pressure as indicated by gage 9I, and discharges the water with the entrained gas in solution through pipe 92.

When the apparatus is in operation, the shaft 86 is rotated and water under pressure is supplied 75 'III aarsms through pipe 90 to the aspirator. By rotation of the cam 85 the valve-operating solenoids 65 and 80 are energized to raise their respective valves 63 and 11 periodically and alternately, each valve being closed during all the time that the other valve is open. When the contact pair 01 is operated by the cam to close circuit to the solenoid 66, the valve 63 is raised to permit gas from the constant pressure supply chamber I2 to flow into the measuring chamber I to fill said chamber to the predetermined pressure at which gas is maintained in the chamber I2. Then after the solenoid 66 has been deenergized to permit the valve 63 to close, contact pair 88 is operated by A the cam to close the circuit to solenoid 00 and valve 11 is thereby raised to permit gas from the measuring chamber to flow into the .receiving chamber Il which, in the construction shown, is constantly under suction of the aspirator ,|6.

' The solenoid 00 is deenergized and the valve 11 permitted to close before thev next opening of the valve 63. The measuring chamber I0 will thus be periodically charged with gas supplied from chamber I2 at a constant pressure, and after each charging operation gas'will be withdrawn from the chamber I0 intothe receiving chamber i4 from which gas is constantly being withdrawn by the aspirator.` The gas sucked in by the aspirator goes into solution in the water owing through the aspirator and is discharged through the pipe 92. Thus at each rotation of the shaft 86 a measured volume of gas will be supplied by the apparatus and dissolved in the flow of water passing through the aspirator.

The rate at which thegas is supplied by the apparatus may be varied by varying the speed of -rotation of the shaft 86. The rate of supply may also be varied by adjusting thepressure under which gas is supplied to the measuring chamber or by varying the capacity of the measuring chamber, to vary the amount of gas passed at each cycle of operations. The pressure at which the gas is supplied to the measuring chamber may, as has been stated, be varied by adjusting the thumb screw I8 to increase or decrease the force exerted by the spring 4I on the diaphragm For adjustably varying the capacity of the -measuring chamber, the chamber is provided with an adjustable bottom formed by a. `disc 95 oi.' suitable flexible material vsuch as soft rubber seated on a plate 90 carried by a hollow screw rod 91 which extends through a threaded opening in an and the relation between the upper end of sleeve 99 and calibration markings |00 on the tube 60 I will indicatethe capacity of the measuring chamber for any adjusted position of the sleeve.

In order to insure a gas-tight seal between the disc 90 and the chamber wall, a pressure disc IOI to bear against the upper side of the rubber disc 95 'is provided vcarried by a rod |02 which extends through the hollow screw rod 91 and has its lower end threaded and extending through the threaded opening in a hand wheel |03. The hand wheel bears against the flanged bottom of the sleeve 99 so that by turning the hand wheel with relation to the sleeve the rod |02 may be drawn down to compress the disc 95 between the plate 96 and the disc |01, or by turning the hand wheel in the other direction the rod and disc IOI may be moved upward to relieve the pressure on the disc 95. When it is desired to change the capacity ofthe measuring chamber, the hand wheel is first unscrewed to relieve the compression on the disc 95 to permit it to contract diametric-ally.

`The sleeve 99 is then turned to position'the disc 95 for the desired chamber capacity, and then the hand wheel |03 is turned relatively to the sleeve 99 to compress the disc 95 and expand itagainst the chamber wall.

Fig. 2shows the apparatus-connected for supplying chlorine to water ilowing through a conduit IIO, and means for driving the cam shaft 05 at a speed which is automatically varied to vary the rate of supply of chlorine according to variations in quantity of water owing through the conduit. For this purpose a water meter II|- connected in the conduit serves as a motor for driving the shaft 06. As the quantity of water iiowing throughthe conduit varies, the speed of the meter will vary correspondingly, and this will cause corresponding variationin the speed of ro'k tation of the cam shaft 05 and, therefore, of the rate at which the chlorine gas is supplied to the aspirator I6 to be carried by the stream of water flowing through the aspirator into the main stream of water to be treated ilowing through the conduit H0'. 'I'he dosage, or ratio between the amount of chlorine supplied and the quantity of water treated, may be varied by adjusting the size of, the measuring chamber I0 or by varying the pressure maintained in the constant pressure chamber I2.'

What islaimed is:

-1. Apparatus for supplying gas at a controlled rate, comprising a constant volume measuring chamber, means for periodically charging the measuring chamber with gas to a predetermined pressure, means for withdrawing gas from the measuring chamber after each charging thereof and thereby lowering the pressure in said chamber, and means for varying the size of the measuring chamber to vary the rate of gas supply.

2. Apparatus for supplying gas at a controlled rate, comprising aconstant lvolume measuring chamber, means for periodically charging the measuring chamber with gas to a predetermined pressure, and` suction means for withdrawing gas from the measuring chamber after each charging thereof and thereby lowering the'pressure in said chamber.`

3. Apparatus for supplying gas at a controlled vrate, comprising a constant volume measuring chamber, means for periodically charging the measuring chamber with gas to a Vpredetermined pressure, a receiving chamber, suction means for withdrawing gas from the receiving chamber to reduce the pressure therein below said predetermined pressure, a conduit between said chambers, a valve controlling said conduit, and means independent of the pressure in the measuring chamber for operating said valve periodically to permit gas-to ilow from the measuring chamber tothe Areceiving chamber after each charging of the measuring chamber, said valve being closed during the charging of the measuring chamber.

4. Apparatus for supplying gas at a controlled rate, comprising a constant volume measuring chamber, means for supplying gas thereto at a substantially constant pressure, a valve for controlling the admission of the gas to said chamber,

-a conduit for permitting. gas to, iiow from -said at a pressure lower than said supply pressure, a valve controlling said conduit, and means independent of the pressure in said chamber for periodically operating said valves alternately to ll the chamber with gas at the supply pressure and to permit gas to now from said chamber, the second said valve being closed when the iirst said valve is open.

5. Apparatus for supplying treating gas to owing water, comprising a constant volume measuring chamber, means for supplying gas thereto at a substantially constant pressure, a valve for controlling the admission of the gas to said chamber, a water aspirator for withdrawing gas from said chamber and discharging into the iiowing water, a valve for controlling the ilow of gas from said chamber, means independent of the pressure in said chamber for periodically operating said valves alternately for admitting to saidl chamber gas so supplied to fill the chambe`r with gas at the supply pressure'and Afor permitting gas to flow from the chamber to the as, pirator, the second said valve being closed when the iirst said valve is open, and means controlled by the flowing waterfor varying the periodicity of the operation of said valves for varying the rate of supply of gas to the aspirator to maintain for varying rates of ow of the water a fixed ratio between the rate of supply of the gas and the rate of flow ofthe water.

6. Apparatus for supplying treating gas to iiowing water,' comprising a constant volume measuring chamber, means. for supplying gas thereto at a substantially constant pressure, a valve for controlling the admission of the gas to said chamber, a water aspirator for withdrawing gas from said chamber and discharging into the iiowing water, a valve for controlling the flow of gas from said chamber, means independent of the pressure in said chamber for periodically operating said valves alternately for admitting to said chamber gas so supplied to` ll the chamber with gas at the supply pressure and for permitting gas to flow from the chamber to the aspirator, the second said valve being closed when the rst said valve is open, means controlled by the iiowing water for varying the periodicity of the operation of said v alves for varying the rate of supply of gas to the aspirator to maintain for varying rates of flow of the water a xed ratio between the rate of supply of the gas and the rate of iiow of the water, and means for adjustably varying the capacity of the measuring chamber for vary- 25 ing the dosage.

^ RAYMOND W. SPARLING. 

